Tag: Lia Davis

Interview with Author Lia Davis + Giveaway

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | Author Interviews> Author Q&A> blog tours> Giveaways

I’m very pleased to welcome Lia Davis to Reading Reality today. She’s here to talk about her decadently delicious story from the 1Night Stand series Ravished Before Sunrise (see review for deliciousness)

Now let’s hear from Lia!

Marlene: Lia, can you please tell us a bit about yourself? What do you do when you’re not writing?

Lia: Hi! I’m a newbie author. I have two published ebooks and more on their way. 🙂 I’m a wife to a wonderful, supportive, and loving man. And a mother of two young adults and two furry felines. I have a BSA in Accounting and currently work full time in the Finance/Account department for a vendor management software company. When I’m not working the day job and writing, I spend time with family and read.

Marlene: All of your books are paranormal romance in one way or another. What is it that first attracted you to write love stories for the “things that go bump in the night”?

Lia: I love the creative freedom I have with writing paranormal. I can create worlds that are magical with creatures that excite the imagination. I love the danger, suspense, and mystery that come with the supernatural.

Marlene: Ravished Before Sunrise is part of the 1Night Stand series. How easy or difficult was it to squeeze a whole love story into just one night?

Lia: My average word count seems to be around 40K to 65K at the moment. So it was a challenge to write a shorter story at first. What helped me was that I believe in love at first sight. I have known couples that fell in love in the first meeting and are still together after many years of marriage. I also believe that there is someone for everyone and they meant to be together. And nothing happens by accident.

Marlene: Would you like to give readers a little taste of Ravished Before Sunrise? What can they expect?

Lia: Ravished is a quick and sexy adventure that starts with Emalee wanting a break from her life in hiding from the paranormal world. Her unusual abilities make the supernatural communities leery of her, so she lives in a witch’s coven with her BFF. For her 1Night Stand she chooses a romantic role-playing adventure to hunt a vampire and to be ravished by him.

The vampire, Darian, is a widower who has grown tired of his long-lived life. His loving daughter signs him up for the date.

Marlene: Do you plan everything or just let the story flow? Do your characters ever want to take over the story?

Lia: I start off planning the setting, character profiles, then outline the plot points. Once that is done I sit and let the story flow.

Marlene: Who first introduced you to the love of reading?

Lia: My mom. She loves to read romance. So naturally I picked it up and love it as much as she does.

Marlene: Who influenced your decision to become a writer?

Lia: Not sure if a specific person influenced me. I’ve always loved creative writing and making up stories. I’m just not sure why it took me so long to start writing to be published.

Marlene: What book do you recommend everyone should read and why?

Lia: There are so many great books out there. I’m always discovering a new series I fall in love with. If you are a history of science fan check out A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness. It’s awesome and the first book in her All Souls trilogy. The writing really draws you in. An all around great read.

Marlene: Now can you tell us 3 reasons why people should read your books?

Lia: Suspense and mystery intertwined with paranormal, believable love stories, and lovable characters.

Marlene: What’s next on your schedule? Do you have any upcoming projects you’d like to share?

Lia: I just finished Death’s Storm, the second in my Divinities series, and sent it to my editor. The target release date is November 2012. I am also working on a new series called Ashwood Falls about two shifter packs living together in one community. The first book, Winter Eve, is due to release in December 2012.

I also plan to write more 1NS stories.

Marlene: Morning person or night owl?

Lia: Night owl. It takes me too long to get going in the morning. 🙂

Lia, I’m with you! Instant human, just add caffeine. And Deborah Harkness’ A Discovery of Witches was amazing. 

Thanks so much for being here today. I love the giveaway. Everyone needs a little more caffeine in their life!

~*~*Giveaway*~*~

As part of her blog tour, Lia Davis will give away a $5 Starbucks GC, Starbucks Via sample pack, and a swag pack to one winner at the end of the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

[Ravished Before Sunrise tour button]

Review: Ravished Before Sunrise by Lia Davis

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | B Reviews> blog tours> book reviews
Format read: ebook from author
Formats available: ebook
Genre: paranormal romance,
Series: 1Night Stand
Length: 31 pages
Publisher: Decadent Publishing
Purchasing Info: Author’s Website, Publisher’s Website, Goodreads, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, All Romance Ebooks

Born with the unusual ability to see what truly lies in the shadows, Emalee Black is stuck between two worlds, the paranormal and the human. Neither one accepts or understands her and she’s forced to live a quiet, boring life in hiding. When her best friend mentions 1Night Stand dating service, Ema chooses a role-playing adventure straight out of her romantic fantasies. She’s to hunt her very own vampire and have her wicked way him.

Vampire Darian Wyman is surprised when his daughter signs him up for a one-night stand with an exclusive matchmaking agency. At first he’s appalled by the idea, but as he reads the details of the date, he becomes intrigued. For one night he will get away from the life he has long grown tired of to be hunted and captured by a would-be huntress. But he has plans of his own for his little vixen.

However, when Darian discovers the truth about Ema’s inhuman abilities, the date could end before it gets started.

I’ve confessed this before, the 1Night Stand series is kind of a guilty pleasure for me. They’re short, and when they’re done well (and this one is done quite well) they manage to pack a naughty but nice little happily ever after into a tidy package. Whoever came up with this idea was a genius.

Emalee wants to be the hunter, just for one night. She wants to live out the fantasy in her paranormal romances, and hunt a vampire. She thinks it’s going to be make-believe, except that Ema has a secret. She knows there really are vampires. She can sense them. And shifters. And demons. Oh yeah, and her BFF is a witch.

Darian doesn’t want this little one night stand at all. But there is one woman on earth that he can’t say “no” to. His daughter. She bought it for him as a present. He’s been moping around a bit too long since his wife died. When you’re a vampire, a real one, being a widower can last pretty close to forever.

The one night stand is supposed to be just that, one night. But it can be more. Especially when both parties find exactly what they were looking for. Even though neither of them knew they were looking at all.

Escape Rating B+: Just plain fun. Absolutely marvelous decadent and deliciously sexy fun. Darian and Ema find so much more than they are looking for. Ema finds stuff she didn’t even know was available to be found, like the secret to her powers. She doesn’t even know what she is, and Darian opens up an entire universe to her. In return, she brings him back to life. Almost literally, she gives him a second chance at feeling alive. But I liked that it didn’t resolve immediately. The epilogue is 6 months later, so it’s insta-lust and insta-recognition, but not insta-love.

Good story for such a short package. I wish there were more.

***FTC Disclaimer: Most books reviewed on this site have been provided free of charge by the publisher, author or publicist. Some books we have purchased with our own money and will be noted as such. Any links to places to purchase books are provided as a convenience, and do not serve as an endorsement by this blog. All reviews are the true and honest opinion of the blogger reviewing the book. The method of acquiring the book does not have a bearing on the content of the review.

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand? 9-9-12

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

In theory, it’s Fall. I say theory, because in Atlanta, it’s still way up into the 80s. On that chilly other hand, my friends in Alaska tell me that the first overnight frosts of the season have been reported, right on time.

Loved the summers, hated the winters. Atlanta and Florida are the other way around. Clearly I need to find a happy medium.

Speaking of happy mediums, let’s recap last week’s reviews:

A- Review: Garment of Shadows (Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes #12) by Laurie R. King
A- Review: Wicked As They Come (Blud #1) by Delilah S. Dawson
B+ Review: Senator, Mine (All Mine #1) by Kerry Adrienne
B- Review: Druid, Mine (All Mine #2) by Kerry Adrienne
B Review: Trust Your Eyes by Linwood Barclay
C+ Review: Blind Traveler Down a Dark River by Robert P. Bennett

But that was last week and this is, well, this week. The Labor Day holiday is over. No more long weekends until Thanksgiving, at least for those of us in the States.

But there’s still a lot to look forward to. So many books, so little time. Isn’t that on a t-shirt somewhere?

After Monday’s Ebook Review Central (this week the feature is Dreamspinner’s July titles) I have a couple of tours on tap.

Wednesday’s guest will be Lia Davis, because she’s on tour to promote her latest book, Ravished Before Sunrise. I will confess that the 1Night Stand series is kind of a secret vice, (not so secret now) so it’s great whenever one of their authors does a tour. They’re always fun reads, and Ravished Before Sunrise was no exception.

Thursday is a real treat. I love science fiction romance, and Heather Long has written a fantastic start to a new science fiction romance series. Yesterday’s Heroes mixes science fiction with superheroes and even time-travel for something really, really cool. So I’m very excited that she’s my guest for an interview and I had a chance to review Yesterday’s Heroes. I hope this first book in her Boomers series is the start of something big.

And looking ahead to next week, I’ll have one of the most interesting combinations I’ve seen in a while. Vampires and cowboys. Together. Specifically, Blood and Whiskey by Clark Hays and Kathleen McFall, the second book in their Cowboy and Vampire series. Clark and Kathleen are on tour, and they answered a bunch of my interview questions. I’ve got both books to look forward to for next week.

But first, this week, Shannon Stacey’s All He Ever Needed. Yes, that’s right. The fourth book in her Kowalski Family series is out on Monday and I’ve got a review copy (I have to review it for Library Journal). Expect a review on Reading Reality on Tuesday!

What are you up to this week? How’s your fall shaping up?

 

The Sunday Post AKA What’s On My (Mostly Virtual) Nightstand? 9-2-12

Posted on by Marlene Harris | Author : | The Sunday Post> Virtual Nightstand

This Sunday’s version of the Sunday post takes place at Dragon*Con, so today’s motto is: “Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy and taste good with ketchup”.   I’ve probably picked up some signed copies of too many books in the Hucksters’ Room by now. And added way too many t-shirts to my t-shirt collection. (I’ve got to weed some of the ones I really can’t wear…one of these centuries)

And as happy as I am to be at Dragon*Con, there a part of me that’s sad not to be at WorldCon this weekend in Chicago. We would have managed, somehow, if it hadn’t required a TARDIS. <sniff>

This is Labor Day weekend here in the States. The last three-day holiday weekend that a lot of people get until Thanksgiving.  That’s what makes it the end of summer.

Before we forge ahead to Fall, or even to the upcoming week, there’s one big giveaway from last week that you still have plenty of time to get in on.

If you love small-town romance, take a look at Susan Wigg’s Return to Willow Lake. I reviewed it on Thursday (I’m afraid I waxed really eloquent), and Susan is offering a giveaway of one print copy of the book. So if you like her work, here’s a great chance for a free book. (US only this time, sorry.)

Coming up this week, I’ve got one review/interview combo this Thursday, too. Kerry Adrienne will be here on September 6 to talk about the first two books in her All Mine series under the Decadent Press 1Night Stand series, Druid, Mine and Senator, Mine. (Not US Senators, Senators in Ancient Rome, much yummier) Mixing the 1Night Stand concept with time travel, yes time travel, turns out to be pretty cool. Both books were a LOT of fun.

Don’t worry, I’ll have plenty of other books to talk about this week. I’m in the middle of Laurie R. King’s new Sherlock Holmes/Mary Russell book, Garment of Shadows. (No, I can’t resist Sherlock Holmes, apparently ever).

And looking ahead to next week, I’ll be hosting visits from Lia Davis, to talk about her paranormal entry in the 1Night Stand series, Ravished Before Sunrise.

I’ll also have a special treat, because it’s science fiction romance. I have an interview with Heather Long to get the scoop on her new superhero/time-travel/science fiction romance story, Yesterday’s Heroes. Even better, it’s the first book in a series, so there are more for me to look forward to.

So what are you reading to welcome Fall?